Hatfield & McCoy Marathon (pre-race)

June seemed like the right time to get back in the marathon game. I needed a race that was in a new state for me, but drivable from New Jersey for a long weekend.

The Hatfield & McCoy Marathon takes place on the border of Kentucky and West Virginia, along the battleground of the infamous feud of those two families (you can read on the race website about the historical significance of many of the places on the course) and it was the perfect way for me to knock out a marathon in Kentucky without having to drive too deep into the state. 

Even though training did not go so well, I still went forth, knowing that the course would be challenging, with its 600-foot incline in the seventh mile and rolling hills in the back half. It was a good way to test out my new attitude of taking it slowly, running conservatively, and enjoying the race in the moment without worrying too much about time (as long as it was under four hours).

The packet pickup and pasta dinner were at Belfry High School in Kentucky on Friday, and Gloria and I were able to eat and take a photo with some Hatfield and McCoy actors before heading about 30 miles back into West Virginia, where we were staying at the lovely Chief Logan Lodge in the gorgeous Chief Logan State Park. 

Hatfield, me, Gloria, McCoy

Chief Logan Lodge in Logan, WV

Like a complete idiot, I failed to take my wife's advice to do my day-before run on the hotel's treadmill. Instead, I ran three miles on the mountain roads in the state park, turning what should have been a light tune-up into a full quad-blowing, calf-crushing workout.

And crush my calves the sharp downhills did, so I went into the marathon on Saturday with an aching, sore calf. If nothing else was going to keep me in check, that sure would. I did it in Louisiana in January and I would have to do it again.